Conveyer and screen



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-#Sheet 2. R. L. HASSBLL'. GONVBYER AND SCREEN.

No. 479,742. Patented July 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

R. L. HASSELL.

GONVBYBP. AND SCREEN.

No. 479,742. Patented July 26, 1892.

me noms 51ans no.. mom-uma., wsnmcron, n. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. L. HASSBLL.

GONVEYER AND SGRBBN. No. 479,742. Patented July 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD. LITTELL IIASSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVEYER AND SCREEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,742, dated July 26, 1892.

Application tiled February 3, 1892. Serial No. 420,196. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD LITTELL HAS- SELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyers and Screens, which are fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanyin g drawings forming, a part of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in reciprocating conveyers and screens; and its object is to provide devices of this class which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, smoothness of action, and generall The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, Which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the conveyer-trough and its bearings; Fig. 2, a cross-section taken at the line a: fr, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a perspective View of the driving mechanism, and Figs. 4, 5, G, and 7, views of modifications.

Like characters indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

I will first describe the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 3, which is a modification of what is known as the quick-return or slit-bar motion. The crank-arm 22 and the slotted bar 23 are fastened to the shaft 24, which revolves in bearings. (Not shown.) The disk 26 is fastened to the driving-shaft 27 and has a projecting pin 25, on which is the sleeve or bearing 28, which works in the slot of 23. The driving-shaft 27 revolves with a uniform speed; but the center of shaft 24 being placed to one side of the center of 27, the shaft 24 and its attached parts revolve with an increasing and decreasing speed during each revolution, and as the conveyer-trough 38 is connected' to the crank-arm 22 by thepitman 2l the conveyer-trough is given a reciprocating motion, moving with an increasing speed during one half the revolution of the crank-arm 22 and with a decreasing speed the other half. As the mechanism is shown in the drawings the conveyer-trough will move to the left with an increasing speed and to the right with a decreasing speed. Now, if any material-such, for instance, as grain-is placed in the right-hand end of the trough and the trough is pushed to the left with a rapidlyincreasing speed and then suddenly jerked back, the grain will continue to move to the left, the next stroke of the trough will move it still farther to the left, and so on. The most effective speed and' length of stroke to give the conveyer-trough can easily be ascertained, and quite likely will vary with the nature of the material to be conveyed and other circumstances.

When the conveyer-trough is suspended by vertical swinging rods or chains, or when it moves ina straight line on sliding bearings, the sudden reversal of the direction of movement of the conveyer-trough at the end of its forward stroke throws a sudden strain on the driving mechanism and produces an uneven jerking motionin the entire apparatus. The principal object of my present invention is to overcome this, and this I attain by causing the eonveyer-trough to move in a curve at the end of its forward stroke, or that end of the stroke nearest to the discharge end of the conveyer. The means by which I prefer to accomplish this is shown in Figsl and 2. The flanged bearing 30 is free to revolve on the projecting end of the rod or tube 3l. These bearings support the conveyer-trough and move in the curved slots or runways 32 of thc bearings or frames 33. When the conveyertrough has reached the end of its forward stroke, or stroke to the left, the bearing 30 will be half-way round the curved slot at the left of the bearing or frame 33. It will return on the lower part ofthe slot, raising the spring 34 as it passes. slide on the upper part of the spring to the upper part of the slot and the action will be repeated. By this means, it will be seen, the longitudinal movement of the conveyertrough is gradually changed to a curve and its direction of movement reversed Without any jar or jerking and part of the momentum gained on the forward stroke is utilized on the return. The surfaces of the slot or runway 32 may be made concave or V-shaped. The laterally-projecting longitudinal bar 35, which is rigid with and forms a part of the bearing or frame 33, is recessed where it passes over the slot in order to allow the projecting end of the sliding bearing 30 to pass. The

At the next stroke it will` IOO trough may be of any desired form, and in places where the dust and dirt from an open trough would be objectionable, or when preferred for other reasons, the conveyer may be a tube. The body of the trough 38 can be of sheet iron or steel or any suitable material, the side pieces 36 of wood, and it can be held together by rods or tubes riveted at each end or by transverse strips of metal fastened to the top of the side pieces 36. The number of bearings which will be used will depend on the length of the conveyer. In cases where for any reason the span between the bearings is so great that the trough would have a tendency to sag it may be trussed by any of the well-known methods. At suitable points along the bottom of the trough openings may be made in the usual manner to allow the material being conveyed to be discharged at any desired point.

One advantage of this form of conveyer is that when desired the trough can be constructed in detachable sections, so that when the material is to be conveyed a distance less than the entire length of the conveyer the surplus length of conveyer-trough can be temporarily detached. The slotted part or runway of the bearing or frame 33 may be made in sections in order that should any part of the bearing be found to wear in excess the worn section may be replaced by a new one. Where the rods 3l pass through the sides of the trough and the side pieces 36 it may be desirable to have the rods bushed with rubber. If preferred, these rods may be fastened tothe top ofthe side pieces 36 by means of rubber and metal bearings. The pitmanrod 2l may be made in the form of a spiral spring.

Vhen it is necessary that the conveyertrough should be placed at a considerable upward incline, it will be found an advantage to have the trough formed of corrugated metal, the corrugations running crosswise of the trough or around the tube, the object being to prevent the material in the trough slipping back.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 revolving cranks are substituted for the slotted frames or bearings shown in Fig. l. The con- Veyer trough or screen is attached to these revolving cranks 83 by means of the bearings 84 85. These cranks revolve in the bear ings 86.

Motion is given to the conveyer-trough by means of the driving mechanism shown at the right, which is similar to that shown in Fig. 3.

For the sake of clearness the bearings in which lthe crank 24 revolves have been omitted in the drawings, and the upper parts of the bearings 86 are also omitted. In this arrangement some provision must be made to overcome the dead-points of the cranks 83, and this is the function of the rods SO, connected with the cranks, as shown. These rods may be threaded at each end and screwed into the Atened to the shaft 52.

bearings 82 S1, and pipes or wire ropes may be substituted for the rods.

It is evident that the reciprocating con` veyer shown in Fig. l or Fig. 4 can be used as a screen if the conveyei-trough or a part of it is made of Wire-netting, perforated metal, or the like; but for screening certain classes of material-such, for instance, as coal-it is desirable that the conveyer or screen should have a more sifting motion, in order that the material to be screened should be more thoroughly shaken up and distributed over the screen. -This can be accomplished by means of the modifications shown in Figs. 5 and '7. The driving mechanism employed will be similar to that shown in Fig. 3; and it Will be borne in mind that the conveyer-trough or screen is moved in one direction with an increasing speed and on the return with a decreasing speed. The vertical shaft 52,Fig. 5, is threaded at its lower end and is screwed firmly to the iron band 53, which passes around and is fastened to the screen 38. The screen and its attached parts are suspended to the swinging bearing or frame 54 by means of the collars 56, which are solid with or can be fas- The swinging bearing or frame 54is supported by and swings around the shaft 55, which has collars, as shown. The upper end of this shaft is fastened to a crosstimber or any suitable support. Fig. 6 is a section through the center of the swinging bearing or frame 54. It will be seen that with this arrangement the screen is given a combined lateral and longitudinal motion, and its efficiency as a screen for some kinds of material greatly increased. It is not intended that the swinging bearing or frame 54 should make a complete revolution around the shaft 55, but two-thirds of a revolution, or there about, the direction of rotation being reversed at each stroke, and by this means the material in the screen is being constantly thrown from side to side and shaken up and at the same time is moving longitudinally; but when it is desired that this device should be used as a conveyer only it can be so arranged that the swingingl bea-ring or frame makes a complete revolution.

The swinging bearing or frame 54 and bearings 57 58 may be cast in one piece, or the frame can be made of wrought-iron and the bearings riveted to the frame.

When neces-n IOO IIO

sary, the vertical shaft 55 maybe made more l rigid by means of a brace 59, as shown, and

in like manner the shaft 52 may be braced to y the crank-shaft 24, and with this arrangement the material in conveyer trough or screen shall be used.

would be thrown to the left-that is, away from the pitman. If the center of the driving-shaft 27 was placed to the left of the center of the crank-shaft 24, the material in the screen would be thrown to the right-that is, toward the pitman. Thesame result may be obtained in another Way-namely, by changing the relative position of the crank-arm 22 to the slotted bar 23. If the arm 22was fastened to the shaft 24 by means of keys 0r setscrews, so that the arm could be loosened and turned half a revolution on the shaft 24 Without moving the shaft and then fastened,.the result would be the same as placing the shaft 27 to the left of the shaft 24. It will be seen, therefore, that with the device shown in Fig. 5 the driving mechanism can be changed at will to move the material in the conveyer trough or screen in either direction. I shall generally prefer to accomplish this by changing the position of the crank-arm 22 on the shaft 24. With this object in view the arm 22 can be fastened to the shaft 24 by means of keys or set-screws.

In the modication shown in Fig. 7 the screen is supported by and fastened to the frame 71, and this frame rests on the sliding blocks 30. Each of these blocks 30 has an upwardly-projecting pin which enters a hole in the center of the cross-bars of the framel 71, so that the blocks are free to turn but yet move with the frame. These blocks slide in the grooves or runways 32 of the plates 33. These plates 33 rest on and are bolted to the cross-supports 74.

For the purpose of obtaining a clearer view a part of the crossesupport under the righthaud end of the upper plate 33 has been omitted in the drawings and a part of the screen broken away. It will be seen that with this arrangement the screen is given a sifting motion, something' similar to that obtained by the use of the swinging bearing shown in Fig. 5, and in many cases it will be preferable to use it. may be rigidly fastened to the frame 7l, or it may be so fastened as to allow of a slight lateral movement, and rubber blocks or Washers-such as 7 5--1nay be placed between the sides of the frame and the screen. It is intended, of course, that two or more sets of bearings-such as shown in Figs. 7 f and 5 The number of bearings used The screen 38, Fig. 7,.

will depend on the length of the conveyer or screen.

It will be understood that all the devices shown can be used as a conveyer or screen, or both; and in many cases it will be desirable to have a part of the trough 38 formed of wire-netting, perforated metal, or the like, of one or more sizes, and the rest ofY the trough will be a plain conveyer, and it may often` be desirable to have the conveyer trough or screen in the form of a hollow cylinder or tube-round, square, or oval.

The purposes for which and circumstances underwhich conveyers and screens are usedare so Various that it will sometimes be found preferable to use one form of bearing and sometimes another.

In the following claims I use the term conveyer. or conveyer-trough as includingv both conveyers and screens.

I claimv l. The combination of a reciprocating con veyer-trough moving with an increasing speed toward the end of the forward stroke and having a curved motion at the end of its forward stroke and a bearing or series of bearings for giving the conveyer-trough a curved motion at the end of its forward stroke, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a reciprocating conveyer-trough moving in a slot or runway curved at the end nearest to the discharge end of the conveyer and a slotted bearing or frame having its slot or runway curved at the end nearest to the discharge end of the conveyer, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of a slotted bearing or frame having its slot or runway curved at the end nearest to the discharge end of the couveyer, a reciprocating conveyer-trough moving in said slot or runway, and a spring 34, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combinationwith a reciprocating conveyer, the driving mechanism specified, consisting, substantially, of the driving-shaft 27, the disk 26, the bearing 28, the slotted bar 23, and the crank-arm, whose'center of rotation is placed to one side of the center of the driving-shaft 27.

RICHARDV LITTELL HASSELL.

Witnesses:

E. C. HAMBURGHER, H. C. W. LAUTENHEIMER.

IOO 

